The Last Kingdom
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PRESS RELEASE THE LAST KINGDOM A CARNIVAL FILMS & BBC AMERICA co-production for BBC TWO An adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling series of books by BAFTA nominated and RTS award-winning writer Stephen Butchard The Last Kingdom, a new historical 8x60 drama series launches on BBC Two and BBC America in October. Made by Carnival Films, the Golden Globe® and Emmy® award- winning producers of Downton Abbey, the show airs on BBC America on 10 October, 2015 and later the same month on BBC Two. BAFTA nominated and RTS award-winning writer Stephen Butchard, (Good Cop, Five Daughters, House of Saddam), has adapted Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling franchise “The Saxon Stories” for the screen. Cornwell is also known for his much-loved “Sharpe” novels that became the long- running TV series of the same name starring Sean Bean. The series cast is headed up by Alexander Dreymon (American Horror Story, Blood Ransom), playing Uhtred of Bebbanburg, with Emily Cox (Homeland) as Brida, Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner, Galavant) as Ravn, Matthew Macfadyen (The Enfield Haunting, Ripper Street) as Lord Uhtred, David Dawson (Peaky Blinders) as Alfred, Rune Temte (Eddie the Eagle) as Ubba, Ian Hart (Boardwalk Empire) as Beocca and Adrian Bower (Mount Pleasant) as Leofic. Set in the year 872, when many of the separate kingdoms of what we now know as England have fallen to the invading Vikings, the great kingdom of Wessex has been left standing alone and defiant under the command of King Alfred the Great. Against this turbulent backdrop lives our hero, Uhtred. Born the son of a Saxon nobleman, he is orphaned by the Vikings and then kidnapped and raised as one of their own. Forced to choose between the country of his birth and the people of his upbringing, his loyalties are ever tested. What is he - Saxon or Viking? On a quest to claim his birthright, Uhtred must tread a dangerous path between both sides if he is to play his part in the birth of a new nation and, ultimately, seek to recapture his ancestral lands. The Last Kingdom, is a show full of heroic deeds and epic battles but with a thematic depth that embraces politics, religion, warfare, courage, love, loyalty and our universal search for identity. Combining real historical figures and events with fictional characters, it is the story of how a people combined their strength under one of the most iconic kings of history in order to reclaim their land for themselves and build a place they call home. 2 Gareth Neame, Nigel Marchant and Stephen Butchard serve as Executive Producers. Nick Murphy (Prey, Occupation) is the co-executive producer and has directed multiple episodes and Chrissy Skinns (Mr Selfridge, Marchlands) is the producer. The Commissioning Editor is Polly Hill for the BBC while Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, and Richard De Croce, SVP Programming are overseeing the series for BBC AMERICA. “Cornwell's Saxon novels combine historical figures and events with fiction in an utterly compelling way,” said Gareth Neame. “In the hands of Stephen Butchard we believe it makes original and engrossing television drama. In part the epic quest of our hero Uhtred, it is also a fascinating re-telling of the tale of King Alfred the Great and how he united the many separate kingdoms on this island into what would become England.” Kim Shillinglaw, Controller of BBC Two added: "BBC Two has a great reputation for distinctive, surprising drama - The Last Kingdom is an epic piece from a highly regarded creative team." PRESS CONTACT [email protected] 3 CAST Alexander Dreymon ............................................................................. Uhtred David Dawson ........................................................................................ Alfred Emily Cox ................................................................................................. Brida Matthew Macfadyen ................................................................... Lord Uhtred Ian Hart ................................................................................................ Beocca Tobias Santelmann ......................................................... Ragnar The Younger Thomas W. Gabrielsson .................................................................... Guthrum Peter Gantzler ............................................................................... Earl Ragnar Rutger Hauer ........................................................................................... Ravn Joseph Millson .......................................................................................Aelfric Tom Taylor ................................................................................ Young Uhtred Alexandre Willaume ............................................................................ Kjartan Jocelyn MacNab ........................................................................... Young Brida Levente Törköly ................................................................................... Scallion Ole Christoffer Ertvaag ............................................................................ Sven Julia Bache-Wiig ...................................................................................... Thyra Rune Temte ............................................................................................ Ubba Andrea Vagn Jensen ............................................................................... Sigrid Madeline Power ............................................................................ Thyra (Girl) Henning Valin ................................................................... Storri The Sorcerer Balazs Medveczky ................................................................ Uhtred’s Brother Alec Newman ........................................................................... King Aethelred Andrew Lukacs .............................................................................. Young Sven Simon Kunz ............................................................................. Odda The Elder Adrian Bower ........................................................................................ Leofric Harry McEntire ............................................................................. Aethelwold Elizabeth Conboy .......................................... Glenna (Uhtred’s Step-Mother) Brian Vernel ....................................................................... Odda The Younger Eliza Butterworth ............................................................................... Aelswith Amy Wren ........................................................................................... Mildrith Lorcan Crantich ........................................................................... Father Selbix Victor McGuire .................................................................................... Oswald Charlie Murphy ........................................................................... Queen Isuelt Sean Gilder ....................................................................................... Wulfhere Nicholas Rowe ............................................................................. Father Asser Alan David ............................................................................... Bishop Alewold Paul Ritter ................................................................................... King Peredur Jonas Malmsjö ...................................................................................... Skorpa Eva Birthistle ..............................................................................................Hild Gerard Kearns .......................................................................................... Halig 4 CREW Executive Producers ....... Gareth Neame, Nigel Marchant, Stephen Butchard Co-Executive Producers ............................... Nick Murphy, David O’Donoghue Producer ................................................................................... Chrissy Skinns Lead Director (Ep 1 + 2) .............................................................. Nick Murphy Director (Ep 3 + 4) .................................................................... Anthony Byrne Director (Ep 5 + 6) .........................................................................Ben Chanan Director (Ep 7 + 7) .......................................................................... Peter Hoar Writer ................................................................................. Stephen Butchard Production Designer ................................................................... Martyn John DOP ................................................................................................... Chas Bain Casting Directors .......................... Kelly Valentine Hendry and Victor Jenkins Costume Designer ............................................................................ Ros Little Hair and Make Up Designer ........................................................ Kate Benton Stunt Coordinator .................................................................... Levente Leszák Composer ....................................................................................... John Lunn Editors....................................... Catherine Creed, Paul Knight and Kim Gaster 5 CHARACTER BACKGROUND UHTRED We first meet our hero Uhtred as a boy. Born of Saxon nobility but raised a Dane he grows up with a conflicted identity. A natural warrior, he is a leader of men, fearless, instinctive, and driven